September 26, 2018
Kingaroy resident Dean Eckart has always had an interest in aviation.
He began exploring this with model planes but also hoped that one day he might be able to get behind the controls of a full-size plane.
But Dean’s world came crashing down around him on December 19, 2007.
After a regular day at work as a motorcycle salesman, Dean – who was also a semi-professional motocross rider – headed out for a ride at a local track with a couple of his mates.
As he approached a banked turn on his final lap for the afternoon, his front wheel caught a deep rut and the handle bars were ripped from his hands.
He speared headfirst into a bank.
Dean’s spinal cord was severed at the seventh thoracic vertebra, both his lungs were punctured, seven ribs were broken, and he came very close to puncturing his aorta.
He was left in excruciating pain but remained conscious.
Dean was flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane where he was diagnosed as a complete paraplegic, paralysed from the chest down.
Dean spent seven days in ICU and a total of three months in hospital.
He had two years off work following his accident but thanks to his knowledge of motorcycles and sales experience, he was able to return as a salesman/adviser at Kingaroy Motorcycles.
Prior to Dean’s accident, he had taken up radio-controlled aeromodelling with the Kingaroy Aero Modelling Society (KAMS).
He rekindled his interest in 2009, training to compete in the Sportsman level of the International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) competition.
These days he flies just for pleasure and tries to get out to the KAMS grounds at least once a fortnight.
He also also keeps fit by participating in fun runs with his family (the wheelchair component) and in lay-down cycling endurance rides.
However, Dean still harboured ambitions to fly a full-size aircraft.
To help make this come true, Dean has been applying for a Suzi Duncan “Wheelies with Wings” Scholarship for several years.
Suzi Duncan had childhood polio but through courage and determination became a flying instructor.
“Wheelies with Wings” is an introduction-to-flying course which uses hand controls to make it possible for people with a lower limb disability to fly.
The concept of a program to teach more people with a disability to fly was born when Suzi first took to the skies herself.
The pure joy of being able to do something so unaffected by her so-called disability created a strong need to share this new sense of freedom and accomplishment with others.
The “Wheelies with Wings” program uses a specially adapted Foxbat ultralight aircraft which has factory-fitted hand controls for the rudder and brakes
Dean is now over the moon as he has been accepted for the two-week 2018 “Wheelies with Wings” course which will be held in Temora in southern NSW from September 30.
Only three people a year from across Australia are offered a scholarship, so he’s very excited about the opportunity.
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On his return from Temora, Dean will be a keen participant with fellow club members at the annual KAMS Fun Fly In weekend in support of the Royal Flying Doctors Service on October 20-21.
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UPDATE – Dean in Temora
